Rail-lifting device



H. E. AUSTIN ET AL RAIL LIFTING DEVICE May 24 1927.

Filed Aug. 29, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet l V arm a 7 1,629,468 May 1927' H. E. AUSTIN ET AL I RAIL LIFTING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 29, 1923 17275136 66 /n f t l M aflonwq Patented May 24, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT I OFFICE.

HAROLD E. AUSTIN, LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, AND JESSE C. COOK, OF JEFFERSON- VILLE, INDIANA, ASSIGNORS TO AMERICAN CREOSOTING COMPANY, OF LOUIS- VILLE, KENTUCKY, ACORPORATIQN OF INDIANA.

RAIL-LIFTING DEVICE.

Application filed August 29, 1923. Serial No. 660,026.

In the art of timber impregnation, as with creosote,vthe timber is run into thecrcosoting cylinder on rails from a track system in the yard, the track within 'the cylinder being connectible' with the yard track by an approach track or rail section which must be removed from the path of swing of the cylinder door to permit of the cylinder being closed.

It is the object of this invention to provide ,a simple and durable mounting for the removable track section whereby the same may be readily moved to an inoperative position with little effort on the part of the operator. 1

The invention further resides inthc provision of a vertically swinging track section. counterbalanced to facilitate its upward movement, and having actuating means lo-' cated to position the operator out of danger 'in the event of an accidental lowering" of the track section or breaking of the counterbalance.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of a creosoting cylinder depicting the removable track section in operative position in full line-s and inits inoperative position in dotted lines; and Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof.

Referring more in detail to the accompanying drawing the creosoting cylinder 1, which is equipped with the horizontally swinging door 2, is also provided with rails (not shown) adapted to be joined to the yard rails 3 by the track section or door rails 4. These door rails are fixed at one end to a horizontally journaled shaft 5 while their opposite ends are designed to be supported by the cylinder in alinement with the cylinder rails. The shaft is extended to one side of the rails and the outer extremity of such extended end is provided with a cam 6 which is keyedto the shaft. In spaced relation to the cam 6, an operating lever 7 is keyed to the shaft 5 for effecting turning of the shaft to raise or lower the rails. Lever 7 :arries pawl 8 which cooperates with a fixed quadrant 9 to lock the rails in any desired degree of elevation.

A counterbalance device is provided to assist the operator in lifting the track section. An adjustable weight 10 is suspended from the outer end of a lever 11 which is fulbuilding walls (not shown), the location of this shaft being well above the shaft 5 so' that the leverv 11 may swing ina vertical plane outwardly of the operating lever 7. The short shaft 12 also carries a second cam 13 to the sides of which the angle irons which form the lever 11 are bolted, these angle irons converging toward their opposite ends to provide a braced structure and there connecting with a plate 14 from which the weight 10 is suspended; The cams 6 and 13 are shown in the form of interrupted circular diskspresenting substantially a one fourth part of its true or concentric circumference, and the periphery of which circumference ispreferably grooved, as indicated at 14;, and they are connected by a flexible member 15, herein shown as a cable, divided between its ends and having its sections joined by an adjustable take-up device,

such as a turnbuckle 16. The, flexible member has its opposite ends anchored to the irregular peripheral portions of the cams 6 1 and 13 beyond the concentric circumference portions as indicated at 16 thus allowing the flexible member to slide over the cam portions in the operation of the counterbalance device.

In'operation, when it is desired to lift the approach track section from the path of swing of the cylinderdoor, the operator manipulates the lever 7 to effect a clockwise rotation of the shaft 5 which elevates thedoor rails 4. to an upwardly inclined position, such as is indicated in Figure 1, where they are held locked by the cooperation of the pawl 8 and its quadrant 9. The manual effort on the part of the operator is materially assisted by the counterbalance device which exerts a continuous force tending to lift the rails. The counterbalance weight and the lever 7 are: spaced sufliciently far from the rails to provide room between the lever and the rails for the operator to occupy without endangering himself in the event of accidental breakage of the rails or their operating mechanism. After the door 2 has been opened, the rails 4 are then lowered to the full line position by a counter-clockwise movement of the shaft and lever 7 whereby the yard and cylinder rails are connected for moving the timber-carrying trucks to and from the cylinder.

Vi e claim as our invention:

1. In combination with a timber-treating cylinder, a swingingly mounted door thereon, and stationary track rails, and means for moving the door rails to an inoperative position out of the path of swing of the door and means for locking the rails in such inoperative position.

2. In combination with a timber impregnating cylinder, and a door therefor, of a horizontally journaled shaft. door rails fixed 'on the shaft to swing in a vertical plane to and from the path of movement of the door, and means tending to rotate the shaft to move the rails from the path of the door.

3. In combination with a cylinder for treating timber, a door therefor, a track section mounted to swing to and from the doorway of the cylinder, counterbalancing means tending to swing the track section to an inoperative position, and means for operating the track section and locking the same in a predetermined position.

4. In combination with a creosoting cylinder and a door therefor, of a shaft, an approach track section fixed on the shaft, means .for manually rotating the shaft, and counterbalance means connected to the shaft.

5. An approach for timber treating cylinders, comprising a track section, a rotary shaft for moving the same to and from operative position, means for operating the shaft, a counterbalance lever weighted at one end, a cam on the shaft, and a connection between the opposite end of the lever and the cam.

6. In an approach track section for creosoting cylinders, a shaft for shifting the track section to and 'from operative position, said shaft extending to one side of the track section, a cam fixed on the outer end of the shaft, a counterbalance lever having a weight at one end, a cam connected with the opposite end of such lever, and aflexible connection between'the lever cam and said first mentioned cam and operating over the cam surfaces thereof.

7. In an approach track section for creosoting cylinders, a shaft for shifting the track section to and from operative position, said shaft extending to one side of the track section, a cam fixed on the outer end of the shaft, a counterbalance lever having a weight at one end, a cam connected with the oppo site end of such lever, and a flexible connection between the lever cam and said first mentioned cam and operating over the cam surfaces thereof, and means for locking said shaft with the track section in inoperative position.

8. In combination with a creosoting cylinder, of an approach track section mounted for vertical swinging, a counterbalance device, and an adjustable connection between the device and the track section.

specification.

HAROLD E. AUSTIN. JESSE G. COOK. 

